Development of Guidelines Buddhist Health Charter at the Area Level of a Sub-district in Nakhon Nayok Province

Abstract

Background: The National Buddhist Monk Health Charter B.E. 2560 serves as a comprehensive framework for establishing policies and collaborative agreements among monks, societies, communities, and network partners from all sectors, used as a guideline for the promotion of monks' well-being at all levels. Objectives: To develop regional guidelines for the Buddhist Monk Health Charter. Methods: The qualitative case study used the National Buddhist Monk Health Charter B.E. 2560, as a framework. The study involved 131 purposively selected participants: 9 monks, 23 key informants, and 99 stakeholders. Data was gathered through health screening, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and public hearings, and analyzed using content analysis.  The study process had 2 steps: Step 1 studied monks' health problems and healthcare needs, and step 2 developed the Buddhist Monk Health Charter’s guideline. Results: Step 1 found that 5 healthy and 3 ailing monks. The 7 monks had Cholinesterase enzyme levels in their blood deemed unsafe, with 2 monks at a risk level, advocating for biannual health checks by health officials. Step 2 showed that this guideline encompassed 5 categories; 1) Buddhist Monk’s Health Charter: Key Philosophies and Concepts; 2) Monks and their own health care according to the Buddhist principles of discipline; 3) Community and proper health care for monks according to Buddhist principles and discipline; 4) The monks’ role in being a leader in the health of communities; and 5) Driving the Buddhist Monk’s Health Charter into practice, and 23 practices that largely aligned with the National Buddhist Health Charter.Conclusions: The formulation of a Buddhist Monk Health Charter at the local level should be adapted to align with the specific context and constraints of the area. It should place a strong emphasis on the active involvement of diverse sectors. The guidelines for this sub-district had not yet reached the promulgation stage. Therefore, it was recommended that the Sub-District Administrative Organization promulgated them as a public policy for the community to use as a practical guideline for caring and health promotion of monks, thus ensuring their further sustainability.